We Are Family
by ChocolateChipCookie31
Summary: Takes place at the end of season 8. AU, where Dan has the heart attack. The family need to stick together now more than ever.
1. The Heart Attack

David and Darlene's wedding had been absolutely beautiful! Dan and Roseanne were caught off guard by the couple's wedding vows. It sure meant a lot to them that they included them in the ceremony. The past few weeks leading up to the wedding had been stressful, especially for Dan. He wasn't angry with Darlene or David, he was angry at the situation. How come nothing ever went right? Sure, he was happy for the couple and he loved them both very much, he just didn't think they were ready for marriage or to have kids yet. He had hoped they would at least have a little bit of money put away first. The morning before the wedding, Dan remembered waking up, and he felt just fine, but right after breakfast, he started to feel strange.

Dan always had a habit of sweating a lot, but this was different, and he had a really nasty case of heartburn, which was shocking since for breakfast he only had a quick bowl of cereal. Usually it took a lot more than a small bowl of cereal to give him heartburn. He just chalked it up to nerves and stress from all that had been going on. The heartburn went away after he took something for it, but once they got to the wedding, he started to feel weird again. The sweats came back, his left arm was bothering him, he could hardly catch his breath, and he couldn't really concentrate. A lot had been on his mind. Darlene, David, Roseanne, money, his dad, the future, etc. It was all too much! Once the ceremony was over, however, Dan started to feel a little bit better, and even ate quite a bit at the reception. Then he started to feel weird again. Worse, even. Roseanne wanted to dance, but he said he needed some air. Like everyone else, Roseanne just figured it was nerve related and that he just needed to calm down. She decided to come out and bring him a glass of champagne, hoping that would ease his nerves. At first, she tried joking with him but then saw that he really wasn't feeling good. Roseanne knew it was serious when he told her to call for help. He then collapsed.

Roseanne dropped the glass of champagne she was holding and rushed to the nearest phone she could find to call an ambulance. She was in hysterics! Once she hung up she ran straight back to Dan to check on him. Jackie walked over, carrying Andy.

"Oh, my God! What happened?"

"I don't know! He just collapsed! I called an ambulance."

Soon, the rest of the wedding guests had gathered 'round to check on Dan. The ambulance arrived and the EMT's told everybody to back away. Roseanne, however, refused to leave his side. Dan was loaded up in the ambulance, and Roseanne rode with them to the hospital.

Jackie asked Mark and Becky to please take Andy and Jerry home and watch them while she, David, Darlene, and DJ went to the hospital. Becky wanted to protest because she wanted to go too, but seeing the look on her aunt's face, she decided not to. Jackie told everyone else that she would let them all know about Dan's condition as soon as she found anything out.

Jackie drove with DJ sitting in the front passenger seat, and David and Darlene sitting in the back. They were all quiet the whole time not knowing what to say or even what to think.

They all rushed into the hospital waiting room to find Roseanne sitting, holding Dan's belt in her hands. She looked like a woman on the edge. They asked what happened.

"They said it was a mild heart attack. They didn't say if he was going to be all right yet or not."

"So they didn't tell you anything," Darlene asked.

"Nothing."

At that moment, a doctor walked up.

"Mrs. Conner?"

"Yes," Roseanne said, standing up. "How is he?"

"He's sleeping right now. His blood pressure was through the roof, but luckily, we were able to bring it down. He had a mild heart attack, and he needs to stay in the hospital for a few days."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"We're not sure yet. We are monitoring him very closely. We won't know anything else until tomorrow. You should all go home and get some sleep, and I will call you if anything changes."

Roseanne shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere. That's my husband in there! I am staying here all night."

The doctor nodded his head in understanding.

"That's fine, Mrs. Conner. We have an empty room available, if you would like to stay in there?"

"No. I want to stay with my husband."

"Okay. That's fine. If you'll follow me."

"Just a minute."

Roseanne turned to the rest of the family.

"You all go home. I will be fine."

"Are you sure, sis?"

"Yes, Jackie, I'm sure. I just don't want to leave him alone right now."

They all understood. Jackie asked if she wanted her to take Dan's belt home for her but Roseanne said no, hugging it tightly to her.

Jackie decided to spend the night. She told Mark and Becky about Dan. Becky burst into tears, and Mark held his wife close, comforting her. David did the same thing with Darlene. They decided to cancel their honeymoon. No way would they be able to enjoy themselves knowing that Dan was sick in the hospital.

Jackie slept in Dan and Roseanne's bedroom with Jerry and Andy, while Mark and Becky slept in Becky and Darlene's old bedroom, DJ stayed in his room, and David and Darlene stayed in the basement. Although, none of them got much sleep as they were all worried about Dan... and Roseanne.


	2. Roseanne Talks To God And Dan Confesses

Roseanne sit in the chair by Dan's bed, a blanket covering her lap. She wasn't asleep. There was no way she was going to get any sleep tonight. Not while the love of her life was in a hospital bed after suffering a heart attack. It was minor, they said, but it was still a serious situation. Seeing Dan lying in a hospital bed with tubes up his nose, tore at her heartstrings. The two of them had been through so much together over the years. They had been through hell and back. Living paycheck to paycheck, the bike shop going under, Becky running off and eloping with Mark and moving to Minnesota. Helping Jackie when she was injured in the line of duty when she was a cop. Also helping Jackie after Fisher beat her up. Dan's problems with his dad, his mother being put in a home because of a breakdown. Roseanne's father passing away. It was all just too much to bear. Roseanne was a pretty strong woman, but right now, she needed to let out all of her frustration and anger. She got up from the chair and headed to the chapel in the hospital. Luckily, nobody was in there at the moment. She sat down in one of the pews.

"Why, God? Why now? Why does this have to happen? You totally let me down. How could you allow this to happen? And on Darlene's wedding day, no less."

Roseanne wiped tears from her eyes. She didn't want the rest of the family to see her like this, but she needed to talk to somebody, and right now it was God.

"I know we're not exactly saints, God, but we're not bad people, neither. Dan especially, doesn't deserve this. He's put up with a lot of crap these past few years. He deserves a bit of a break, you know?"

Roseanne took a breath.

"Although, I guess it wasn't you who fed him all that greasy meat and bacon and brought him all those beers. The man was in trouble, why didn't I see that? We all could of made better choices, huh? I'm not angry at you, God, I'm angry at the situation. I need someone to vent to. Listen, if you get Dan through this, I promise from here on out to be a better wife. I will cook healthier meals, and I will even get rid of the beers. Just please, let him be okay. Thank you. Amen."

With that, Roseanne got up and left the chapel. She decided to get a soda from the vending machine. Instead of getting a regular soda like she normally would, however, she chose a diet one instead. They didn't taste that bad once you got used to them. Once she finished her drink, she headed back into Dan's room, where to her surprise, he was awake.

"Dan?"

"Rosie?"

"Yes, honey, I'm here. How are you feeling?"

"Okay. What happened?"

"Well, we were at the wedding, and you had a minor heart attack, and blah, blah, blah."

Dan cracked a smile. Not because he had a heart attack, but because of the way Roseanne was explaining it to him.

"Am I going to be okay?"

"Well, um... we don't know for sure yet, but they've been coming in here like, every fifteen minutes to check, you know? It's no wonder I couldn't get any sleep."

"Why don't you go on home and get some sleep?"

"No! I'm here for the night, buddy."

"Where's everybody else?"

"I sent them home. David and Darlene decided to cancel their honeymoon for right now."

"Oh, they canceled it," Dan asked in a disappointed tone.

"Yeah."

"Aw, man. Now I feel even worse."

"Don't. It's not your fault, Dan. These things happen, you know?"

"Yeah, but why do they always happen to us, Roseanne?"

Roseanne shook her head, sadly. "I honestly don't know, Dan. I guess we've got what they call Conner's Law."

There was a pause. Dan extended his hand to Roseanne's so he could hold it. She took it.

"Rosie, I have something to tell you. Remember back in high school when we broke up, and then I went out with Phyllis Zimmer?"

Phyllis Zimmer was a sore subject for Roseanne, but she decided to let it go for now since Dan was sick.

"Y-yes."

"Well... I didn't go out with her to hurt you. I love you, Roseanne, and nobody else. I was heartbroken when you broke up with me. It was just that one time. Last year when we had lunch together it was just as friends. Nothing happened. The only reason I didn't tell you was because I knew you would be upset and I was just trying to protect you. Nobody, least of all Phyllis, could ever take your place in my life, Rosie. You're my soul mate. I seriously don't know what I would do without you."

Roseanne was touched by Dan's words. He was being very sincere, and it made her love him even more. She cleared her throat.

"I love you, too, Dan, and I feel exactly the same way. So, you have to get better and come home soon."

"I'll try my best, baby."

"Good. Now get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up in the morning."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

With that, Dan closed his eyes and drifted off back to sleep. Roseanne wiped at her eyes and went to sit back over in the chair. She covered up with the blanket and was able to get a few hours of shut-eye.


End file.
